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Season wrap-up

I had every intention to write and post regular fishing reports for you but then the fishing got so good and so busy there was barely enough time to sleep! Eat, Sleep, Fish, Repeat, you may have heard this one before.

So here is a little pictorial wrap-up of the last two months of our Southland season. March was tough, with low water, spooky fish and a lot of anglers about but April was its usual glorious self, with great hatches, and plenty of feeding fish out. When it’s really ON, there is no other place like it if you like precise fishing with small dries for better-than-average brown trout.

One day we hooked up with a true Mataura trophy – a magnificent fish in 8-10 lbs range – which confidently took a #16 Hi-vis Parachute, then tore off into its hole and an entire tree that was there. Even on a 100lb tippet we would not have pull it out or stopped its run. These intense moments are certainly the highlights of autumn for me.

THE TROUT BOHEMIA

“Trout Bohemia buzzes around the topic of obsessive-compulsive fly-fishing, darting and weaving and so dangerously fascinating that you daren’t look away.” James R. Babb, Gray’s Sporting Journal

"Derek Grzelewski writes like a dazzling impressionist. Trout Bohemia will make you think that fly fishing was just invented, and that every river is waiting to be explored for the first time." Marshall Cutchin, MidCurrent

“On the road again with dog and fly rod, Derek Grzelewski has gathered another wonderful collection of stories about love, life, rivers and trout. If you liked his Trout Diaries this one is even better.” Rob Sloane, FlyLife

“New Zealand … I love that place, and this book about it. I’m jealous of anyone who lives there, writes this well, and most of all, has this Bohemian trout fishing life there.” Dave Hughes, author, USA

Read free first chapter of TROUT BOHEMIA here

GOING TO EXTREMES

Buy Signed copy here

“The book does a great job of hitting on what fascinates explorers … the horrors and the delights of dangerous and challenging environments. The writer is good at taking you into these situations. The stories are all great New Zealand tales that deserve to be told time and time again.” Booksellers NZ

"Beautifully written. I really like this book." Kim Hill, Radio NZ

"Grzelewski likes to live at the extremes; his passion and respect for the extreme shines through his very evocative writing." NZ Booklovers

Read free first chapter of GOING TO EXTREMES
here

THE SMALLEST CONTINENT

Buy Signed copy here

“There is a lack of detachment, irony and cynicism in Grzelewski’s approach to his life, journeys and writing that is uplifting and galvanising. The reader may sit on the couch and critique at leisure, but Grzelewski has done it, is doing it, is recounting it in pictures and words, and is living according to his lights. This is quite inspirational.” Booksellers NZ

"The book is an open invitation to lace up a pair of boots and head for the hills." Beattie's Book Blog

"The Smallest Continent will make you fall in love with New Zealand even more and give you an itch to get out and breathe it all in." NZ Booklovers